Wednesday, February 2
Old Friends and new books
Here's the sleeve blurb on "Old Friends," by Stephen Dixon, the thin (my theme of the year so far) novel I picked off the new releases shelf at Farr Library: "The end result is an absolutely beautiful work of art -- a moving homage to the writing life, to friendship and love -- that's certain to be recognized as one of the celebrated author's very best books."
Dixon, who's twice been nominated for the National Book Award, examines the friendship of two writers, both with hermitic tendencies and an intense devotion to their craft. Perfect timing. I can't vouch for it, but judging this book from its cover, I checked it out and started reading it.
Other thin books I picked up on Sunday's library trip: "The Old Man and The Sea" by Hemingway (one 'm', after hearing Nick report how laugh-out-loud funny The Sun Also Rises was -- this one wasn't that funny but definitely Hemingwayesque (one 'm'), "Siddhartha" by Hesse (not to be confused with Sidd Finch by George Plimpton, one of my favorite sports books of all time [note to self: that's a topic for a future list] and, in hindsight, Plimpton himself being one of the early reasons I wanted to be a writer -- you mean you get to try all those sports? And then write about them? Cool!), Walter Kirn's "She Needed Me" and, on reserve the next in my ogoing reading of the ongoing saga of Nicholson Baker's quick reads, his "stunning" (?!?) first novel, "The Mezzanine," in which the entire novel supposedly takes place in the time it takes a guy to ride an escalator up one floor.
So, what's your favorite thin novel (less than 225 pages)? Anyone?
Dixon, who's twice been nominated for the National Book Award, examines the friendship of two writers, both with hermitic tendencies and an intense devotion to their craft. Perfect timing. I can't vouch for it, but judging this book from its cover, I checked it out and started reading it.
Other thin books I picked up on Sunday's library trip: "The Old Man and The Sea" by Hemingway (one 'm', after hearing Nick report how laugh-out-loud funny The Sun Also Rises was -- this one wasn't that funny but definitely Hemingwayesque (one 'm'), "Siddhartha" by Hesse (not to be confused with Sidd Finch by George Plimpton, one of my favorite sports books of all time [note to self: that's a topic for a future list] and, in hindsight, Plimpton himself being one of the early reasons I wanted to be a writer -- you mean you get to try all those sports? And then write about them? Cool!), Walter Kirn's "She Needed Me" and, on reserve the next in my ogoing reading of the ongoing saga of Nicholson Baker's quick reads, his "stunning" (?!?) first novel, "The Mezzanine," in which the entire novel supposedly takes place in the time it takes a guy to ride an escalator up one floor.
So, what's your favorite thin novel (less than 225 pages)? Anyone?
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Guess I'd say "Fantastic Voyage" by Asimov, "Oddkins" by Dean Koontz and because I have kids, "Edward Fuddwupper Fibbed Big" by Berke Breathed.
I haven't read Siddhartha before, Nick, altho' I do recall having to read Hesse's Peter Camenzind in school somewhere, probably high school. I've read a lot about the other Siddhartha, the Buddha. I'll report my findings.
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